Wickedfood Cooking School, SUNNINGHILL

Information & bookings (076) 236-2345  sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za

Hi all,

They say we are officially in autumn, but with the ongoing searing heat, it certainly still feels like mid summer.  The recipe of the week is a perfect  summer meal, taken from our cookbook of the week, Rick Stein’s Spain – enjoy.

In our last newsletter we invited you to participate in our new and exciting project whereby we are planning to deliver a selection of naturally-grown fruits, vegetables and meats for collection at Wickedfood Cooking School in Sunninghill on Saturday mornings. Thank you for the overwhelming support which we received from many of you for this project.  We hope to be kicking off with delivery during the course of this month.  Anyone still  interested in receiving information on this initiative, please e-mail earth@wickedfood.co.za, with the word subscribe in the subject line.

The March and April Programmes are now live on our website.  Classes for the next few weeks will take you on a culinary adventure around the world, from South African Portuguese flavours, to a North African feast, classic Lebanese dishes and Italian all-time favourites.  In addition we will also teach you to prepare some of Jamie Oliver’s best dishes.  Book early to avoid disappointment as classes tend to fill up very fast.

Find us on Facebook and Twitter – just search for Wickedfood and you will find us. We update the blog on a daily basis and publish it through Facebook and Twitter.

Looking for info on food?

If you have any food-related questions, or a dish that you just can’t get right or even a certain recipe that you are looking for, but just can’t seem to find, then contact us and we will do our best to answer it as soon as possible. Click Here for more information. Hope to hear from you soon.

Wickedfood Cooking School news

The Cooking class programmes for March and April are up on the internet. Wickedfood Cooking School runs cooking classes with a minimum of 8 participants and a maximum of 12 giving everyone hands-on experience and keeping the cooking class small enough for maximum learning. These cooking classes are conducted by our senior instructors who have extensive experience in the food industry and share a variety of additional cooking tips throughout the cooking class.

• Sunday 11 March at 4pm – Flavours of the South African Portuguese Table (R370pp). At the heart of Portuguese cuisine is the use of quality ingredients prepared simply to preserve their distinctive flavours. Portuguese food is renowned for being lusty and robust. Because Portuguese cuisine is easy to prepare, and uses very basic equipment, it is often described as peasant food. The use of seasoned pork, strong olive oil, garlic and onions contributes to the image of strongly flavoured, simple cooking. In this Portuguese cooking class we teach you how to prepare Sunday dinner fare, designed to satisfy the appetite and reinforce the bonds of home and family. 7 tasty dishes including trinchado, chicken livers, caldo verde, chicken peri-peri, Portuguese salad and crème caramel.
• Monday 12 March at 6pm – North African feast (R380pp). North African recipes are the result of the blending of European, African, and Arabic cuisines. North African food originated in Egypt over 3 000 years ago. The food is very spicy since paprika, cumin, and ginger are commonly used in dishes with the spice mixtures being just as popular as the spices themselves. Come learn how to prepare a delicious North African feast at our North African cooking class, which includes 4 starters, buried chicken, spicy lamb couscous and layered crispy pastry.
• Monday 19 March at 6pm – The Naked Chef (R370pp). Stop making reservations, and start cooking dinner! Jamie Oliver introduces us to his concept of naked food, and shares his simple, feisty, and delicious recipes that combine bold flavours with fresh ingredients. Oliver’s cookbooks appeal to anyone who wants to prepare fantastic meals but doesn’t want to spend all night cooking. This Jamie Oliver cooking class proves that even kitchen novices can make perfect foolproof roast chicken with roast potatoes, fresh tomato and sweet chilli soup, homemade pasta with mushrooms, roast butternut and fruit crumble.
• Sunday 25 March at 4pm – Classic Lebanese dishes (R380pp). The Lebanese gastronomy is a rich mixture of various products and ingredients coming from the diverse Lebanese regions. It is with food that the Lebanese express their generosity and hospitality. The secret to mastering Lebanese cuisine lies in the preparation and organization of the menu and in the fact that Lebanese dishes store and reheat well. The Lebanese cook always prepares several dishes in advance and stores the basic mixtures so that they can be combined with other food items to  make a full meal quickly. Every household has a constant stock of pickles, olives, cheese, yoghurt, nuts, grain, herbs and spices. This Lebanese cooking class showcases a selection of the most popular Lebanese party food including Hummous with ground lamb, Kibbi Naye and deep-fried kibbi balls, Lebanese salad, bread pies and a delicious Middle Eastern dessert.
• Monday 26 March at 6pm  – Our Italian Cookbook (R380pp). Note that there is no such thing as ‘Italian cuisine’ with a unique nation-wide tradition of preparing food. Our Italian cooking class showcases the Classic Italian dishes that every Italian food-lover must have in his/her cook book. 6 hearty dishes include chicken liver crostinis, zucchini frittata, pasta with a clam sauce, Osso Buca, polenta and pannacotta.
• Monday 02 April at 6pm  – Relaxed alfresco entertaining (R370pp). Easy buffet dishes to prepare in advance for entertaining. Learn the skills of cooking for a group of friends, with confidence, in this easy entertaining cooking class. Dishes include fried halloumi, grilled poussins, roast peppers, couscous salad, and fruit and almond tart.

Cookbook of the week

Rick Stein’s Spain

Rick Stein’s cooking adventures through various parts of the world have long captivated TV viewers. His latest offering, Rick Stein’s Spain, is presently being screened on BBC Lifestyle, and is one of his best yet. Driving his chum’s rather clapped-out camper van, Rick embarks on a culinary journey laced with history, literature and stunning photography through Spain.  … Click here to read more

Click Here for reviews of all our cookbook reviews.

Food quote of the week

“ He was a very valiant man who first adventured on eating oysters.” – James I

Recipes of the week:

Lettuce, anchovy and egg salad with a creamy vinaigrette

This mouthwatering salad comes from our cookbook of the week, Rick Stein’s Spain, his latest book. All the ingredients can be prepared ahead of time. ….Click Here for all our recipes.

Wickedfood Cooking School runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built Johannesburg cooking studio. Cookery classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – teambuilding cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference. Our cooking lessons are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and team building cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.